01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Edinburgh Fringe to feature free Gaza exhibition by famous artist
In 1980 he created a détournement of John Constable's The Hay Wain called Haywain with Cruise Missiles for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) which reimagined the famous oil painting with atomic weapons in the middle of the idyllic English country scene.
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Photo Op, a collaborative work with Cat Phillipps which showed Tony Blair taking a selfie in front of a burning oil field was described by art critic Jonathan Jones as "the definitive work of art about the war".
A new exhibition, simply entitled Gaza will be shown at the Palestine Museum Scotland during the [[Edinburgh]] Festival Fringe.
It will run from August 9 to 31 from 11am to 6pm, with admission free.
Gaza is a series of prints made using a variety of mediums, including photomontage, double-exposed photographs, drawing, and paint, in response to the ongoing conflict.
'Star Spangled Banner' a work from Peter Kennard's exhibition Gaza (Image: Peter Kennard) 'Gaza Overhead' by Peter Kennard (Image: Peter Kennard) Mr Kennard's work aims to reveal the context and complexities of the situation, rather than simply depicting the horrors of war.
Through his art, Kennard seeks to highlight the complicity of Western governments and their active support for Israel, encouraging viewers to think critically about the situation.
Mr Kennard said: "A horrific genocide is now taking place on the civilian population in Gaza, the children, women, and men, who are being starved, bombed, and shot.
"As an artist, I feel impelled to try and make images that will allow the general public to think about the massacre taking place, while the world's political leaders look on or openly support the genocide by sending weapons to Israel."
Other works by Mr Kennard include @earth a photo essay focusing on climate change and human rights; Rubble, which depicts knives rising from a destroyed building; and Defended to Death which depicts the earth wearing a gas mask stuffed with warheads, with the flags of the USA and the Soviet Union on each eye.
